South African Adventurers Gear Up For FEAT Tonight

I've mentioned FEAT more than once here on the Adventure Blog. It's the event that goes down in Johannesburg, South Africa tonight that features 12 top adventurers from that country, with each of them given exactly seven minutes to share an aspect of their expeditions with the crowd. Billed as "the Ultimate Armchair Adventure Experience," it seems like this is going to be one really great evening, with a whole host of interesting speakers on hand to discuss a wide array of topics. I know I wish that I could be there to see it for myself.

The event is sold out, so if you don't already have tickets, you're out of luck. But with just a few hours to go until it begins, I wanted to wish my friend Lisa de Speville the best of luck tonight. Lisa is the founder and organizer of FEAT and I know that she has worked hard to put the event together. Considering it is in its first year, and is already a sell out, I think it is safe to say that it is a success.

For those in attendance tonight, I'm told there are a few surprises that won't be revealed until you're there. So, sit back, enjoy the evening and have fun with your fellow adventurers, armchair or otherwise.

Congratulations Lisa! Enjoy your night as well!

Learn To Live The Adventure Lifestyle at FEAT

Back in July I told you about an upcoming event in South Africa called FEAT which promises to be "the ultimate armchair adventure experience." The acronym stands for Fascinating Expedition and Adventure Talks, and with a line-up that includes mountaineers, ocean rowers, and long distance trekkers, all from South Africa, it promises to be a very interesting evening to say the least.

FEAT is scheduled to take place on Thursday, October 7, at the Wits Theatre in Braamfontein, Johannesburg, which means that it is now just four weeks away. On the docket are 12 fantastic adventurers, each of whom will have seven minutes to share their story, which is part of what gives this event a unique appeal. The presentations will have to be tightly focused and offer a clear message if they are going to achieve their goals in the allotted time frame.

One of the key message for the evening will be about how modern day explorers can get sponsored and fund their adventurous lifestyle, which can be a tricky proposition in this day and age. Mountaineer and polar explorer Alex Harris will be on hand to discuss making a career out of adventure, while Julian Dallamore, a corporate Brand Manager, will give hints on how to appeal to corporate sponsors. Similarly, adventurer Ray Chaplin will offer his insights on how to handle media relations and the technologies used to stay in contact from the field.

I was already jealous of those that were able to attend FEAT when I originally wrote about the event, but hearing about this topic of discussion makes me want to go all the more. This is shaping up to be a fantastic evening and a real opportunity to get to meet some great adventurers first hand.

For information on purchasing tickets for FEAT click here.

South African Adventurers To Be Celebrated At FEAT!

South Africa is home to some of the most accomplished explorers and adventurers on the planet. The country has more than its fair share of mountaineers, polar explorers, sailors, and more. To celebrate these amazing men and women, a new adventure symposium will take place later this year in Johannesburg that will offers an intriguing mix of the Banff Film Festival and TED Talks.


FEAT, which stands for Fascinating Expeditions & Adventure Talks,  promises to be the ultimate armchair adventure experience.  Billed as: "1 Night, 12 Adventurers, 7 Minutes Each", that is an apt description of the format for the evening as well. 


Each of the 12 speakers will have exactly 7 minutes to, no more and no less, to share a specific aspect of one of their recent expeditions. They'll use photos and their own words to tell the story of the challenges they had to overcome to discover something about people, places, or even themselves. 


Amongst the featured speakers are Alex Harris, who has climbed the Seven Summits and Peter van Kets, who has rowed solo across the Atlantic, twice no less, as part of the Atlantic Rowing Race. Others include climber Marianne Schwankhart, who recently started the Seven Summits, Seven Flights expedition, and Riann Manser, who quite literally rode around Africa on his bicycle. 


Tickets for the event go on sale on Monday, August 2nd at Computicket, with the inaugural event taking place at the Wit Theater in Braamfontein on October 7th. 


This looks like it's going to be a really great event. I love the format and the line-up of speakers is excellent. If I were in or around, Jo'burg in early October, I'd certainly try to find away to attend this event. Looks like a fun evening. 

Cliffhanger Outdoor Event Returns to Sheffield July 11th & 12th

Cliffhanger, one of the top outdoor events in Europe, and the U.K.'s biggest adventure festival, returns to Sheffield on the weekend of July 11th and 12th. With more than 100 exhibitors and dozens of events, Cliffhanger has become a major event, attracting more than 15,000 visitors last year, and 2009 looks to be even bigger and better.

Attendees this year can expect a wide range of activities, including demonstrations and instruction in rock climbing, kayaking, mountain biking, orienteering and more. There will also be an assault course to challenge anyone feeling up to it, 11 climbing walls, plenty of food stands and bargain shops for gear, rides for the kids, and even live music throughout the weekend. Cliffhanger will once again serve as the venue for the British Boulder Championships, in which more than 200 boulderers will competing for top honors. This year they've added an adventure race and a unique orienteering competition on mountain bikes.

You can checkout a full schedule of events on the Cliffhanger website, which also has the latest news about additions to the adventure festival. There are also directions on how to get to Millhouses Park by road or rail, and a complete list of exhibitors that will be on hand for the event.

Looks like another great outdoor festival with some fun activities for everyone.

Update: In an effort to more inclusive, I wanted to point out, as Shane has noted in the comments section, that there will be some Parkour/Free Running demonstrations going on at Cliffhanger all weekend as well. The local Sheffield group will be bouncing off trees, walls, fences, buildings, and just about anything else they can use to shop off their abilities. If you're not familiar with Parkour, you're in for a treat, and my failure to mention them earlier wasn't an intentional slight. I'm way jealous of your abilities Shane, and wish I could keep up! ;)

The Rest of Everest: Episode 56

The actual climb may be over, but that doesn't mean the "expedition experience" is at an end. Wednesday means a new episode of The Rest of Everest and if you've been following the show, you know that we're through the climbing portions and have now been listening to recollections of the experience of going up to the summit and returning to BC, with some fascinating stories and insights.

This week's episode is entitled Episode 56: The Last Hurrah, and with good reason. BC is now active, boisterous, and abuzz with activity. Climbers are off the mountain, looking forward to returning home, and bonded by a shared experience of living on the mountain for two months.

The show opens with a climber shaving his beard off, showing his bare face for the first time in weeks. It's part of the process of returning to civilization, and an indication that the expedition is coming to an end. After that, we attend a party, in which you can see the excitement and joy on the faces of the team members as they enjoy a little more time with one another, but also knowing that it would all soon be over.

Next we're treated to some video footage that Jon shot while wandering around Base Camp, with some great shots of the mountain and the sun rising and bringing the warmth of day to BC. Jon shares some thought on his day to day activities in camp, and some of the things he did there while waiting to complete the project and return home himself.

Clearly this expedition is winding down, and soon the teams will depart for Kathmandu and from there, home. But, we're promised that this isn't the end of the Rest of Everest. There is more to come, and you'll get to see even more of what life is like while on the tallest mountain on Earth.

Cliffhanger Event - July 14th and 15th, Sheffield, England

This one is for readers in the U.K. check out the Cliffhanger Event that will be taking place July 14th and 15th in Sheffield. Cliffhanger is billed as the U.K.'s "largest outdoor pursuits festival", with the British Bouldering Championships, or Orienteering Races, and Open Air Market, Climbing Walls, Live Music, and the best of all the Alpine Beer Festival! Sounds like a great time, and if you're looking for something to do next weekend, and you just happen to be in Sheffield, be sure to drop by and check it out.